AMRAAM: Deploying & Developing America’s Medium-Range Air-Air Missile

September 6/19: Development Test Mission Support The US Air Force awarded Raytheon an $8.4 million modification for field team support services for Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM) development test mission support including, test planning, test operations, test reporting and telemetry analysis. The contract modification provides for exercise of the third option for an additional 12 months of services to support ground tests, captive flight tests and live fire tests conducted for developmental purposes up to and including operational test readiness reviews. The effort also includes management and maintenance of AMRAAM separation test vehicles and other assets used for the test programs. The AIM-120 advanced medium-range air-to-air missile is a new generation all-weather, missile manufactured by Raytheon. The AMRAAM is in service with the US Air Force, US Navy, and over 25 US-allied nations. Work will take place at Eglin Air Force Base in Florida and estimated completion date is September 5, 2020.

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AIM-120C from F-22A
(click for test missile zoom)

Raytheon’s AIM-120 Advanced, Medium-Range Air to Air Missile (AMRAAM) has become the world market leader for medium range air-to-air missiles, and is also beginning to make inroads within land-based defense systems. It was designed with the lessons of Vietnam in mind, and of local air combat exercises like ACEVAL and Red Flag. This DID FOCUS article covers successive generations of AMRAAM missiles, international contracts and key events from 2006 onward, and even some of its emerging competitors.

One of the key lessons learned from Vietnam was that a fighter would be likely to encounter multiple enemies, and would need to launch and guide several missiles at once in order to ensure its survival. This had not been possible with the AIM-7 Sparrow, a “semi-active radar homing” missile that required a constant radar lock on one target. To make matters worse, enemy fighters were capable of launching missiles of their own. Pilots who weren’t free to maneuver after launch would often be forced to “break lock,” or be killed – sometimes even by a short-range missile fired during the last phases of their enemy’s approach. Since fighters that could carry radar-guided missiles like the AIM-7 tended to be larger and more expensive, and the Soviets were known to have far more fighters overall, this was not a good trade.

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Some MRAAM History, and AMRAAM’s Design Approach

Customers & Performance

AMRAAM: Upgrades & Derivatives

Other AMRAAM-Related Systems

AMRAAM’s International Competitors

AMRAAM: Program

AMRAAM Program: Technical Challenges

AMRAAM: Contracts & Key Events

FY 2015 – 2019

FY 2014

FY 2013

FY 2012

FY 2011

FY 2010

FY 2009

FY 2008

FY 2007

FY 2006

FY 2005 and Earlier (Partial)

Footnotes

Additional Readings & Sources: Current Missiles

Additional Readings & Sources

AIM-120A cutaway
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F/A-18C, loaded for bandits
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AIM-120C

CLAWS out
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R-77/AA-12 on MiG-29
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Meteor BVRAAM

Rafale w. MICA-RF & IR
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RAFAEL Derby
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“Heave!”
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CATM training
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AMRAAM delivery
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NASAMS launch
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SLAMRAAM from FMTV
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AIM-120D into F-22A
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F-18F launch
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F-15C fires AMRAAM
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AIM-120A launch
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AIM-120A: preparing for a swap

F-16 launches AIM-120
(click to view full)

AMRAAM on LAU-129 rail
(click to view full)

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